Apple Launches New Mac-PC Ad Campaign

by , 12:55 AM EDT, May 2nd, 2006

Apple Computer launched a new ad campaign on TV and its Web site Monday, a campaign simultaneously promoting Mac OS X's Windows compatibility, Apple's bundled software, and even lampooning traditional Windows foibles. The ads were first aired Monday night on shows including Fox's 24, and currently grace Apple's home page.

The ads feature The Daily Show's John Hodgman, who represents "PCs," and Justin Long (Dodgeball, Herbie Fully Loaded), who represents a "Mac." Each of the commercials is set up with back and forth banter designed to highlight the Mac's good points.

A screen shot from Apple's new Mac & PC ads.

"Viruses" - The first commercial in the list is called "Viruses," where the PC has a literal virus, which the Mac says he can't catch. This is one of the riskier of the commercials in light of the recent spotlight being shined on Mac OS X security.

"Restarting" - This commercial features the fact that Office works on the Mac, while also making fun of the idea that Windows PCs crash.

"Better" - "Better" damns with faint praise by praising what the PC can do with a spread sheet, while the Mac claims to be "better at life stuff," such as making music, pictures, movies, etc.

"iLife" - "iLife" tackles two tasks at once: Lauding the fact that iPod and iTunes work so well together, while simultaneously promoting the rest of Apple's iLife package, which is only available for the Mac. This is a literal embodiment of the iPod Halo Effect.

"Network" - "Everything just kind of works with the Mac," says the Mac character in this commercial, which demonstrates Mac OS X's compatibility in a Windows network, while claiming to more easily work with peripherals like digital cameras.

"WSJ" - The "PC" reads a review of the Mac from the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg calling the Mac "the finest desktop PC on the market at any price."

It should also be noted that none of the above commercials ever say "Windows," instead focusing on the more generic term of "PC" to represent the Wintel hegemony.

Many in the Mac community have been clamoring for such commercials for Apple for some time, ads that hit hard on what they consider to be the benefits of the Mac platform.

[Edit: The story was updated with information on Justin Long, the actor representing the Mac. Thanks to the Guest who provided the information in the comments. - Editor]